Dangerous HOS Issue

The one safety issue that I have not seen addressed much here is the HOS , and more specifically the 14hr clock. Personally to me it is this clock that creates more unsafe driving issues than any other, because once that clock is started it doesn't stop, even when you do. How many of us has driven when we really needed to stop for a break, because if we did we would run out of hrs, be shut down, and miss our delivery time, because we had to make x amount of miles today. Or ran out of hrs, and accomplished almost nothing. Prime example being I have driven all night and as the sun is coming up I have gotten sleepy, I should have pulled over and rested, taken a nap, got some coffee, stretched my legs, all because I know that once the sun is up, I will be fine, just that time before daylight is when my eyes are the heaviest. My delivery was at 1000 and I have 100 mls to go, its 0530 I have 3hrs on my 11 hr clock, but only 2 on my 14 hr. So I press on, because if I stop I won't make the delivery on time. Or I start my day at 0830, and make my first stop delivery at 0900, it takes them 2 hrs to unload it, and they required that I disconnect and bobtail to designated parking, they finish and I proceed to truck stop, because my second and final delivery is 15 mls away and at 1630. I get there on time and again that company requires a disconnect and separate parking, there I set until 2330 and then they want me off there lot, but I'm out of 14hrs and have only driven 30 mls. But had plenty of nap time. I have a D&H two hrs away, not tired at all, but still have to take 10 because of that 14hr clock. To me that 14 hr clock is the worst thing that they could have ever thought of, its useless in creating safer drivers, and hinders our abilitys to preform our jobs in a safe and efficient manner. Its the only clock that I have any real issues with, am I alone on this?

I totally agree with this. I could see limiting driving after 14 hours on duty during a 24 hour period, but the fact that that clock doesn't stop once it's started is dumb. You can't always get in an 8 hour break between stops.

To me that 14 hr clock is the worst thing that they could have ever thought of, its useless in creating safer drivers, and hinders our ability to perform our jobs in a safe and efficient manner. Its the only clock that I have any real issues with, am I alone on this?

I've been saying the exact same thing since the day they announced that rule. I knew immediately it was a catastrophic blunder that was going to force people to keep driving when they could desperately use a short nap. I've ranted about this subject quite a few times in this forum over the years. Fortunately for me I was always on paper logs so it never affected me like it did those with elogs. But I agree. I hate the rule and I think it should be eliminated altogether.

To tell ya the truth I thought the rules were perfect back in the day with the 10 on, 8 off, with a rather simple split sleeper berth option. I had no issues with that system. Thought it seemed just fine.

That is why I wanted to learn the split sleeper

I totally agree that the 14 hour rule often causes more fatigue than it prevents.

Brett, I was thinking the exact same thing you said, while I was driving my first official team driving trip last weekend. I ended up team driving (53' dry van) a load of concert sound equipment down from Chicago to Biloxi MS and back in 3 days (2000 miles).. Plus stand by during stage set up, concert and tear down.

Left Thursday nite 11:00 pm after the tornados past,, Late start, my Co driver drove all nite and I didn't get much sleep in my first experience in a S/B bouncing and rattling down the road. We had to both keep driving once we each started our clocks even when we were tired to make the paperwork (Logs) work out. We did get a motel for Friday nite, but still had to drive the last 35 miles to make the 7:00am dock unload (30 stage crew there waiting)..

I watched the show, it was finished after 1:00am Sunday morning, tear down started about 1:30am. I jumped in the sleeper figuring I'd get 5+ hours sleep, nope 4:00am they were ready for me to drive.. Of course they needed us back in Elk Grove Village at 10:00pm to meet the crew to unload.. Wasn't to bad to about 11:00am when I pulled in to a truck stop and took a 45 min power nap. I then was ok enough to make my 11 hrs and the first I57 rest area in IL where my Co driver took over.

For 25 years we've been putting on shows with the race car (42' goose neck trailer) all over the country. We would have 2 or 3 of us driving in the crew cab dualie (no CDLs) we'd drive 2000 mile weekends Chgo/Dallas/Chgo , and still work day jobs Friday and Monday, with the Saturday night show. We'd drive until we felt tired without pushing it, and just have some one else take over, did'nt worry about log books, and always had some ready to drive..

Wish the 2 of us could have swapped driving when tired, would have been safer, Instead of pushing on to make the Log Book look right.

You can tell whichever pencil pusher came up with the 14 never had a hour drive then had to wait 3 hours for a pickup time and another 3 for a driver assist live load with only an eight hour drive to the yard......

Let them have a couple of 10 hour breaks a hour away from home and see how quickly they review the HOS rules

You can tell whichever pencil pusher came up with the 14 never had a hour drive then had to wait 3 hours for a pickup time and another 3 for a driver assist live load with only an eight hour drive to the yard......

Let them have a couple of 10 hour breaks a hour away from home and see how quickly they review the HOS rules

Is this one of the problems being looked into by the law makers?

Serah, I highly doubt that.

I was giving an example of something that happened to me a couple of weeks ago.

Is this one of the problems being looked into by the law makers?

I haven't heard anyone mention rescinding the 14 hour rule. Of course they temporarily rescinded the rule requiring two periods between 1:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. for a 34 hour restart but that's the only change of any sort I'm aware of right now.

You'll find that lawmakers are perpetually talking about the rules to make it appear to the American public that they're on top of it. Every time there's a major truck wreck or something that puts trucking in the news someone releases some form of proposal to limit trucks, it gets voted down, and everyone forgets the whole thing.

So don't hold your breath when it comes to logbook rule changes. There has only been a handful of changes in the past 25 years. I see no end in site for this abysmal 14 hour rule. I'd love to see it end immediately, but I have little hope.